I came across this great post by Louis Cahill, editor of one of my favorite fly fishing websites Gink and Gasoline. With a decent dose of humor, it gives the novice (and sometimes even the veteran) saltwater fly angler some handy tips on how to “hold your Bone”, one you have managed to spot, hook and bring to hand a bonefish. It’s always good practice to know how to handle your fish, so check out the article at the link below.

I WATCHED MY SHARE OF GUYS FIGHT TO GET HOLD OF THEIR FIRST BONEFISH AND I REMEMBER BEING THERE MYSELF. IT’S PRETTY PAINFUL FOR EVERYBODY CONCERNED INCLUDING THE FISH. They aren’t trout and nothing will bring that hone for you like trying to tail one. Landing them and handling them is really pretty simple once you know how. Here are a few tips for getting a grip on these slippery little guys without anybody getting hurt, even your pride. I will not go into the best way to land a bonefish because I’ve done a post and video on the topic with the help of my buddy Bruce Chard. It’ll save you a broken rod so if you haven’t seen it click HERE. Once you have the bonefish to the boat and the leader in your hand, assuming that you want to hold the fish and are not content to pop the hook out without touching him (the best practice for the fish), you need to get a good grip on the fish that will let you control him without injuring him. The best place to do this is just behind the pectoral fins and gill plates. The bonefish is pretty firm here and not so tapered so you can get a grip without him immediately squirting out of your hand like a bar of soap. Kent is doing a good job in this photo. You don’t need a death grip. Like any fish, the harder you squeeze him the more he will struggle. If the fish is too green to hold for a quick photo without him leaping out of your hands and flopping around on the deck there are a couple of things you can do to settle him down.